Mere Aesthetics and Liturgical Preference

In my previous post, I attempted to show that there are actual doctrinal errors flourishing amongst the hierarchy and laity in the Church today.  I want to be clear that the modern crisis is not one of aesthetics in Liturgy or liturgical preference. 

Many things have been written regarding the renewal of Catholic liturgical practice by way of introduction of the Tridentine Mass in diocesan churches and the use in the Novus Ordo of more "traditional" vestments and options, such as incense or the gradual introduction of ad orientem directionality.  

With the advent of the new liturgical renewal, the crisis in the Church is often presented as one of aesthetics and preference. Typically, one might read that "Traditionalists" are battling for their preference and should be content with a Novus Ordo Mass offered in accordance with the rubrics and possibly traditional elements. This is the "say the black, do the red" mentality. 

Buying into this narrative is detrimental to the fight against the modern errors because it would require us to wage war on the Modernists' turf. They seem content, as I mentioned in the previous post, with a Church that is one option among many. It stands to reason, then, that they are equally content with the Tridentine Mass being one option among many. 

We cannot succumb to that thinking. We must move beyond aesthetics and preference so that we can refocus on the fact that practice is subject to doctrine. We must be prepared to make a firm decision to adhere to the doctrines of the Faith as manifested in the perennial and venerable practices of our Faith. When we consider the Novus Ordo as a legitimate option, we can be assured we have lost the correct focus and have surrendered to the modern, pluralistic mentality.